Gao Siren thanks reporters for earthquake coverage

Director of the Central Government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong Gao Siren and his deputy Li Gang thanked representatives of the media last night for their coverage of the earthquake in Sichuan province and the ongoing rescue and relief efforts.

Speaking on behalf of the liaison office at a tea party, Gao said Hong Kong people had donated a total of HK$870 million for the quake victims through the office as of 4pm yesterday.

He promised that the office would send all the donations to the victims as soon as possible.

Customs seizes HK$1.56m illicit cigarettes

Customs officials smashed two illicit cigarette distribution centers in two days and seized 1.1 million undeclared cigarettes with a street value of HK$1.56 million.

Four men were arrested and officers impounded three vehicles used for the smuggling.

According to preliminary investigation, the cigarettes were smuggled from the mainland. They were repackaged before being distributed at an off-loading area in Kowloon East and a parking lot in northwestern New Territories.

More rain forecast for today and tomorrow

The Hong Kong Observatory forecast last night more rain for today and tomorrow.

The observatory recorded over 50 mm of rainfall in less than two hours on Lantau Island, Tai Po and parts of northern New Territories before an amber rainstorm signal was lifted at 8:10pm yesterday.

The Ngong Ping 360 cable car suspended services before 6pm because of the poor weather.

The observatory predicted occasional heavy shower or even thunderstorm in the next couple of days and said some low-lying areas may be in danger of water logging.

Boy treated for enteroviral infection

The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed yet another case of EV71 viral infection involving a two-year-old boy from neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen, where he resides and came down with related symptoms late last month.

He tested positive for the virus last week after he was admitted into Princess Margaret Hospital with fever, rashes in his hands and feet and oral ulcer.

He was discharged on Sunday.

The case brought the total of EV71 infections in Hong Kong so far this year to 43. There were only 12 last year.

Bail granted to salaries tax evader

Tuen Mun Magistracy has granted bail to a man who plans to appeal a two-month jail term for tax evasion.

Lau Siu-lung pleaded guilty to eight charges of evading tax by making false claims.

In his tax returns for 1996-2004, he falsely declared his parents were living with him and he contributed money towards their maintenance.

An Inland Revenue Department investigation found the defendant's parents died in 1987 and 1985.

The allowances claimed totaled HK$456,500 with the tax undercharged at HK$79,800.

Teenager arrested for vandalism in Kowloon East

A teenager was arrested for suspected vandalism in Kowloon East yesterday and was taken to a nearby hospital for minor burns in his hands.

Witnesses told police officers that the boy set some fruit baskets hung outside a fruit shop on Kai Ming Street in To Kwa Wan on fire at around 1am. A passer-by told him to stop. The boy got burnt while trying to extinguish the flames.

Officers took the boy who was in his school uniform away for questioning and refused to reveal his identity.

China Daily

(HK Edition 06/04/2008 page1)